If you invented an inspired excuse to get out of work today and you're headed downtown to revel in the glory of the Heat -- we're jealous.
But all of that madness is likely to leave you with an appetite -- it's not easy banging pots and pans, cheering till your voice gives out, and sweating profusely in the hot summer sun. So when it's time for a little celebratory nourishment, here's a list of places to hit up along the parade route
See also: Miami Heat Championship Parade: Where to Celebrate on Monday
There's nothing better to cart along a parade route than an oh-so-portable sammie, and La Sandwicherie makes the best of the best. Snap up a salami provolone ($7.45), a prosciutto and fresh mozzarella ($9.20), or a custom combo -- topped with their famous French vinaigrette, of course. They open at 9 a.m., so there's plenty of time to get your grub and still snag a sweet cheering spot.
If you want a more upscale lunch affair to celebrate the occasion (the Heat doesn't score champion status every year, after all. Oh wait...), try DB Bistro Moderne. Conveniently located in the JW Marriott right along the route, Daniel Boulud's fine restaurant offers Peruvian ceviche ($16), Maine lobster salad ($27), and steak frites ($37). While you're there, raise a Fuego Tropical cocktail ($15) toast to the Big Three.
Score a refreshing, hearty Andean Elixir ($8), chock full of quinoa and lucuma, plus a freshly baked empanada or any other of the new spot's many clean-eating concoctions. On the corner of Third Avenue and Second Street, Ten Fruits just a quick jaunt from your prime parade-watching spot.
This dive bar/burger joint will nourish even the most gnarly of appetites. Score a cold brew and dig into their epic meat creations, from the Twister Sister pulled-pork sammie ($8.88) to the blackened, blue-cheese-topped Malibu Bleu burger ($8.88) to the bacon jalapeño cheese taters ($7.01) (yes, seriously). You might have to roll home in a wheelbarrow, but hell, that'll probably be faster than battling post-parade traffic.
You can do more than eat at the Epic's rooftop oasis. You can also watch the action. Snag a spot and look down on the parade madness while enjoying a special Heat menu including items such as the Triple Threat, comprising onion, salmon, and artichoke dips served with a mélange of crispiness ($9); mahi ceviche, with pineapple, cilantro, and plantain chips ($9); pulled-pork tacos, with Romaine, bacon, and basil ($9); and Heat bloody marys ($5).
Another upscale option is Chef Sandoval's palate-pleasing pan-Latin outpost in the Intercontinental. As a victory prize, they're offering up $5 bar bites and $3 beer specials all day. They're also serving up a specialty cocktail, El Toro Blanco, made with Reyka Vodka, chili pepper-infused simple syrup, fresh lime juice and lychees ($5).
This new gastropub-esque eatery serves sliders ($9-$12), fried oyster po'boys ($15.50) and full racks of baby-back ribs ($24) -- all accompanied by an extensive selection of craft brews and wine. It's the perfect place to come down from your adrenaline rush.
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